Jeremy Poldark (12 page)

"Cod,
well ..."" Sir, John swallowed. "I thought so. So she wouldn't
take no for an answer." "What d'you mean?"

The other said expressively: "How the devil
has she got in here? Who could have introduced her? And now she's talking to
Longshanks Lister-just as she intended! God's my life, she'll hang her husband
if she's not careful and go to prison for contempt of court herself ! She's
playing with fire"

"I've seen her about with Hugh
Bodrugan."

Sir John took out a handkerchief and mopped his face.
"Well, I had no hand in, it, that's one thing! Hugh always was a lecherous
fool; she'll have had to pay her forfeits there. Well, I wish her luck of the
encounter. She'll need it."

Unwin
said : " I told you the first time, I set eyes on her that she was a
dangerous woman.”

Demelza was well aware that she was playing with
fire. As soon as she saw the tall cadaverous judge at close quarters she knew
this was going to be the hardest meeting of her career.

She had put on her pale mauve silk with the
half-length sleeves and the flowered apple-green bodice and underskirt. It was
the one Verity had chosen for her three years ago.

Sir Hugh Bodrugan did, not know Lister, but had
got Mr. Coldrennick, the M.P. for Launceston, to introduce them. Then, grunting
and hairy, he had gone off with Coldrennick and left Demelza with her quarry,
as promised.'

The Hon. Mr. Justice Lister was about sixty
years of age, six feet tall, with long tapering legs, slightly bowed, and an
austere lined face stamped by forty years; of courtrooms. He was not enjoying
himself in this reception because he was a shy man when away from his work, and
had no interest in the powder and patch of fashionable assemblies. He had come
because the accommodation in the judges' lodgings was so cheerless that he had
dined out every, night and now could not refuse the organisers, who had been
his hosts.

When
he met this young woman he fully expected her to ask him a few inane questions
and simper at him and move on, as, other young women had done. He had no
interest in women,, except that they appeared as the motive power behind' a
good many of the felonies which came under his scrutinising eye. He was a
bachelor and a pessimist.

But this young woman had lingered longer than
most. At the moment she had asked him a question and he had not caught it. He
lowered his head.

"What did you say?"

"Does your lordship dance?"

He
shook his head. "But don't let me deter you. No doubt you have partners
enough waiting to claim the privilege."

"
Oh no, my lord. - I should better prefer to watch. I believe it is the onlooker
who most enjoys the dance:"

He put out his bottom lip. "I am of an age,
madam, when the spectacles of others in effort is more rewarding than the
effort itself. I should not have imagined you were."

" But what has age to do with it? Demelza
asked. " Isn't it wise to - to keep out of the crush sometimes so as we
may see what we look like when we're in it?"

He glanced at her a little more keenly. "If
you observe that rule in matters of more serious import you will make a good
deal of your life."

In
matters of more serious import," Demelza said, "life don't always
give you the choosing."

"
Every subject's soul is his own," said Lister. " How he uses it is no
one else's responsibility.

" Oh yes, my lord, I believe you truly. But
sometimes tis like a bird in a cage. It can sing never so sweet but being
dropped down a well will not put an end to it"

He smiled dryly. " You argue with a ready
wit, ma'am"

"Your lordship's too kind. Of course it is
a pre-presumption on my, part. I am really so ignorant about all these things.
You know so much."

We know what we are allowed to know," said
Lister. "Conscience is nearer judgment than knowledge."

" I wonder," she said, " if that
ever worries you?"

" What?"

" Judgment, I mean," she went on
hastily at his look, "isn't it hard to judge to perfection unless you
d'know to perfection? Forgive me if I don't understand."

"_My dear madam, there is room for
improvement wherever we look. Infallibility exists in divine creation, not
elsewhere."

In the refreshment room Unwin said: “In what way
have I offended?"

In no way, my dear," said Caroline, her
fingers travelling over her hair. "Why should you have?''

“That I don't-know. I lay myself out, to please
you all ends, incurring the disapproval of my party to get you to the hustings
- but tonight you ignore me for Chenhalls or any - other middle-aged beau who
comes along. I'm surprised you've not danced with Bodrugan yet."

"Thank you, dear, I prefer bearbaiting out
of doors" Caroline's sweet voice had a touch of ice. -" But why
should I not dance with the middle-aged beaux if they give me pleasure? I'm not
yet tied to your, apron strings - and thankful too, for they would be gloomy
tiresome sulky depressing apron strings tonight, and hardly to be borne."

Unwin took a grip on himself and smiled.
"I'm sorry, Caroline. It is this accursed election pray forgive me. As
soon as the situation is cleared up I shall be better 'company, I promise. I
should be now, given half a chance."

" Always it was 'when the election is
over.' Now apparently it is not over. Oh, John! John"

" Yes?" said the elder Trevaunance
acidly. He disliked being called by his Christian name by this wand of a girl
He bore it only for his brother's sake.

"Do you know a physician who lives in or
around Sawle by the name of Enys? Dwight Enys, I believe."

"M'yes. Lives on Poldark land or just on
the Treneglos estate. Young feller. Know nothing about him much. Why?"

"He is in the town, I believe to give
evidence at to-morrow's assize. Has he private money, I wonder?"

"Why? Have you met him?" Unwin asked
suspiciously.

“By chance he was the man we called in to see
Horace. I told you about him. And very stiff-necked at being summoned to
attend a pet, dog."

"Infernal impudence. Had I been there I
should; have told him so."

" Oh, I told him so: But impudence is not
so grave a sin, Unwin. Do you think? It shows a certain resilience and spirit.”

In the ballroom conversation had shifted a
little away from the dangerous subject. Wentworth Lister was staring at the
dark girl with narrowed eyes: " Modesty, a Greek philosopher once said, is
the citadel of beauty and of virtue; the first of virtues is guilelessness, the
second the sense of shame. It is a precept which has helped me in my estimate
of women over many years."

“And your estimate of men?" said Demelza.

"Yes, and in that too." The dance came
to an end and the judge glanced slowly round the room. It was warm in here, and
he was sorry he had put on his third pair of stockings..'

" Pray do not let me detain you
longer," he said rather resentfully. " I'm sure you must have other
and more pleasant claims upon your time."

Demelza moistened her lips. "Judas; I was
thinking I was trespassing on yours."

To this he had to, give a polite denial, and
she
in
turn glanced quickly about. Though there were plenty of people
moving around them, none just at that moment seemed bent on disturbing the
tote-a-tote. The judge was not an attractive figure.'

"I wish they would play something softer
next time," she said. "It is hard to be heard. They make too much use
of the flute and the pipes."

He said : "You play yourself, perhaps?

"Only a very ' little." She smiled at
him with sudden brilliance. "And sing when I'm alone, like."

"I agree with you in a preference for the violins
and the viols. As for singing, there is none worth hearing to-day"

Something in his tone caught her animal-sharp
ears: It was a single breath of feeling among the dry rushes of his character.

"The Cornish do a rare lot of singing."

His lips smiled. "They put their voices
together. No doubt that is what you mean. The church choir on Sunday."

`Of course - it is not maybe like what you get
in London."

"There is little in London either. Little
that is uncontaminated by modem tendencies. Frivolous and insipid glees.
Italianate pasticcios and simpering artificiality. To catch the pure stream one
must go back two hundred years or more.

Lister closed his mouth sharply and took a pinch
of snuff. Having dusted away the powder with a lace handkerchief, he clasped
his hands behind his back and stared across the room: as if determined not to
be lured into further expressions of opinion.

Demelza said desperately: "What's wrong
with the church music, my lord? I don't rightly follow you." Ha!"
said Lister.

The Trevaunances had reappeared out of the
supper room. Caroline's flame-coloured head just topped Sir John's, and was
little below Unwin's.

Demelza said: "It is the first church I
have heard with one of those organ pieces. There is one in Truro, but I never
heard it. It is a grand sound, but I rather prefer the older way when it is
well done."

The judge sniffed and dabbed. "You are
fortunate that your ear is not entirely ruined by modern tendencies. No doubt
you have never heard of singing in organum?

" No, my lord. It is not singing with the
organ?"

It is certainly not with the organ..."

... Sir Hugh Bodrugan had talked out the
implications of the electoral position with Mr. Coldrennick and wanted
something more to drink. He was sick and tired of Bodmin and would be glad to
get home tomorrow to his dogs and his horses and Connie with her curses, and,
room in his great ramshackle house to stretch and sprawl and belch. This was
all too confined for him. Only bright thing in his visit was meeting Demelza
Poldark, who was always sharp-witted enough to keep him awake and freshen
things up. He stared across at her where she was still talking to the tall
spindly judge. She was damned elusive, that was the trouble. A bit of angling was
all part of the fun, he knew that; he didn't want his fish, landed too easy;
but so far he'd only kissed her twice-but once on the mouth - and squeezed her
a couple of times in interesting places. A damned tantalising long-legged
minx.
it
was time he was getting back to her.

He said just the last part to Mr. Coldrennick,
breaking in on some dull observations about burgage tenures.

Yes," said Mr. Coldrennick, " I
suppose so. Must confess I've seldom known the learned judge so conversational.
Young Mrs. Poldark has a way with her."

" Oh, she's a way with her," said
Bodrugan grimly. "Damme, yes. It's the will that's lacking."

As they got near they could hear the judge's voice.
"My dear young lady, no harmony, even of the most primitive kind, existed
in the church until the tenth or eleventh centuries. Plainsong was begun then
by higher and lower voices singing at a distance of a fourth or a fifth instead
of in unison. It was no doubt years before it was found that thirds and sixths,
instead of being more were less discordant and infinitely more melodious and
variable in effect. There is a Scottish hymn - ah to St. Magnus"

" Hrrm-hm" said Sir Hugh Bodrugan.

The Hon. Mr. Justice Lister raised his head and
gave the interrupter a look he usually reserved for malefactors. At sight of it
Coldrennick would have sheered away, but Bodrugan was not to be intimidated by
anything.

"Ha, there, it's time for a bite of
something more to eat, m'dear. There's such a shindy of people that I need you
to steer me across in the right direction. Your lordship'll pardon us, no
doubt."

"I'm not at all hungry, Sir Hugh,"
Demelza protested. "Perhaps twould be possible to wait awhile. His
lordship was talking about church music, an' it is a rare instruction I should
like to go on with."

"Nay, it will wait until another occasion,
won't it, my lord. Church music, ecod ! That's a subject for election
night."

“A subject for any night," said Lister,
" if you have the disposition to grasp it. There are those, plainly, who
have not" He was going to add something more from between his tight-held
lips, but two ladies came up from the direction of the supper room, and there
were others approaching. He said to Demelza: "There is also certain
Elizabethan music, madam. Byrd and Tallis are names to remember. And in a
lighter and different fashion Thomas Morley.”

I'll remember them," she said, and thanked
him in her most careful style. Bodrugan was waiting to move away, and the other
women now spoke to the judge. But after a moment he turned again, to Demelza.
There was a faint glimmer of approval in his deep-set eyes as he looked her up
and down.

"I don't recall your name, madam, or whom
I've had the pleasure of addressing."

"Poldark," she said, and swallowed.
"Mrs. Ross Poldark." "I am obliged to you," he said, and
inclined his head. The name clearly meant nothing to him yet.